“The situation is very difficult, no way out of the dead end can be seen,” he said. “Tensions are not subsiding in the occupied Palestinian territories, especially in East Jerusalem. Russia will continue its efforts, both in bilateral and international formats, to deescalate the situation.”

Following an assassination attack on Rabbi Yehuda Glick on October 29, Israel’s government closed the Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem’s Old City to all visitor, the Russian diplomat recalled. “This decision, and non-stop attempts by Israeli far-right activists to reach Temple Mount, where the Al-Aqsa mosque is located, have provoked numerous clashes between the Palestinians and the Israeli security services,” Lukashevich said. “Instances of violence by Palestinian extremists against Israeli citizens have become more frequent as well.”

“We are profoundly concerned over such manifestations of violence,” he noted. “We condemn criminal terrorist actions targeted against civilians. We urge the Israelis and the Palestinians to put an end to provocative actions that only aggravate the already tense atmosphere in the Palestinian-Israeli relations.”

“The situation in the Palestine-Israel direction was discussed in this light during a telephone conference between representatives of the Middle East Quartet of international mediators (the United States, Russia, the European Union, and the United Nations) on November 5,” Lukashevich added.